Orchids of New Guinea

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Tainia papuana

Tainia papuana J.J.Sm., Bull. Dép. Agric. Indes Néerl. 39 (1910) 21

Type: Römer, von 944 (holo BO, not seen by Turner 1992)

Synonyms:

Mischobulbum papuanum (J.J.Sm.) Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 98
Mischobulbum lancilabium Schltr., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 1 (1911) 99
- Type: Schlechter 17469 (syn B, lost); 19522 (syn B, lost); 20127 (syn B, lost)
Tainia lancilabia (Schltr.) J.J.Sm., Bull. Jard. Bot. Buitenzorg, sér. 2, 8 (1912) 6

Stem of sterile shoot with 2-4 internodes, 6-15 cm long, 0.2-0.4 cm diam. (when dried); upper internode (pseudobulb) 4-10.5 by 0.2-0.4 cm, scale of subterminal node somewhat persistent, 3-7 cm long. Leaf cordate, 6.5-16.8 by 3.0-9.1 cm (index 1.4-2.2), acuminate; margin not undulate; 23- to 47-veined. Inflorescence arising 0-1.4 cm above the base of the pseudobulb, 14.8-33.8 cm long, 3- to 9-flowered; peduncle 11.6-22.5 cm long, 0.3-0.6 cm diam.; peduncle scales (3-)4(-5), the longest 3.6-5.2 cm long; rachis 3-8.5 cm long, 0.1-0.2 cm diam. Floral bracts patent, 0.3-1.4 cm long. Median sepal elliptic, 1.5-2.2 by 0.25-0.5 cm (index 4.2-6), acute, mid-vein sometimes thickened dorsally. Lateral sepals 1.55-2.4 by 0.5-0.9 cm (index 2.1-4), acute, mid-vein usually not thickened dorsally. Petals elliptic, 1.45-2 by 0.4-0.75 cm (index 2.5-4), acute, mid-vein usually thickened dorsally. Lip entire, in outline ovate, 1.7-2.4 by 0.9-1.3 cm (index 1.6-2.2), acute to acuminate, thin; with entire, slightly to distinctly distally undulating margins, minutely papillose; inside glabrous to minutely papillose, with 2 or 3 keels, the median keel absent or up to 1.8 cm long, starting at 0-1.5 cm above the base, lamellate, highest half-way or towards the apex, straight to distinctly undulating, entire, sometimes interrupted, glabrous, not thickened towards the apex, the lateral keels 1.2-1.8 cm long, starting at the base of the lip, lamellate, highest half-way or towards the apex, distinctly undulating, entire, glabrous, not thickened towards the apex of the lip. Column 0.65-0.85 cm long, stelidia absent; apex part truncate to slightly triangular, margin subentire to denticulate; wings seam-like, extending up to the base of the column, sometimes decurrent up to 1/3 of the column foot; column foot 0.6-0.7 cm long. Anther 0.2-0.25 by 0.2-0.25 cm; thecae not divided to indistinctly 4-celled, sometimes only a filament remaining where the dividing septa meet. Pedicel and ovary 0.8-1.6 cm long, longer than the bracts. Fruit 1.5-2 by 0.2-0.4 cm; stalk 0.4-0.7 cm long. (After Turner, 1992)

Colours:

Leaves dark green above, light green below; veins purple. Ovaries dark (purplish) green. Flowers yellowish green to brownish, with brown or red veins. Lip yellow, whitish brown or spotted light purple at base, orange at tip, lateral lobes yellow, lateral keels yellow, bordered by a blackish brown edge, veins purple, in some specimens entire lip purple. Column yellowish green to white, dark spotted purple at base and on back, sometimes entirely purple; anther yellow. Fruit dark green.

Habitat:

Terrestrial in lowland and (lower) montane forest; 60-1900(-2400) m.

Distribution:

Malesia (New Guinea), Solomon Islands.

Distribution New Guinea:

Papua (Indonesia); Papua New Guinea. See map

Cultivation:

Warm to cool growing terrestrial, requires shaded position.

Flowering time in the wild:

January, February, April, May, June, July, August, September, November, December.

References:

Smith, J.J., Nova Guinea 8, 3 (1911) 528, t. 77B, as Tainia papuana J.J.Sm.
Schlechter, R., Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 21 (1923) t. 39, fig. 134, as Mischobulbum lancilabium Schltr.
Turner, H., Orchid Monogr. 6 (1992) 69, fig. 39

Classification: